Angina?

[toby23]

I am 45 year old male, non smoker, manager, have family history of angina and unexplained PE's.
I have been admitted to hospital as emergency  3 time since november. Symptoms that I am experienceing are difficulty taking deep breath, tight feeling, deep ache behind top and slightly to left of brest bone. Pain between shoulder blades, occasional pins and needled in left arm and pain in neck and thorat mainly left side. Dizziness and lack of energy. Have noticed that these started mid october and gradually went from just feeling like a bad chest (nothing loose on chest) to being very painfull. Started getting worse on exercise and lasts 20 mins or so. It then goes if sit quite. Now comes on even when sitting quiet.
Chest x ray clear, ecg show suptle st changes? first occurence blood D dimer 650, and T troponin 13? echo clear, blood pressure ok . Original treatment in hosiptal was for Pericarditis, third trip to hospital cardiologist unsure pericarditis or angina. Tried GN spray and alleviated pain .. currently being treated for pericarditis but hospital report indicates no marker for pericarditis? Really dont know what to ask my doctor,  this is getting me down. Any advise or suggestions please.

[ChatterAlly]

I agree with Ed.  Ask for the Echo.  My EKGs were normal even during my heart attacks.  The Echo and blood work proved different.  Have they done any stress tests or even mentioned an angiogram?  The fact that the nitro helps says a lot to me.  Take care

[ed34]

Well, ask the Doctor to do an Echo, a blood test and ask you to lean forward while he uses his stethascope to see if he hears a rubbing sound. These tests will confirm if you have pericarditis. If GTN helped the pain I doubt if it's pericarditis. A chest x-ray will usually reveal pericarditis and it will look as though the heart muscle is enlarged, although mild forms of this problem won't really show up much. An echo can see the fluid around the heart though. If you are still having the discomfort and the pain lasts for over 15mins, you should get back to A&E and put your foot down. Being chest related, you should be seen within 2 mins. Insist they look for infections in your blood, a possible cause of pericarditis, that they do an echo to see if there are any structural or operating problems with the heart and ask why GTN relieves the pain. Make a note of the doctors name while they are with you, and if asked, just say you may need it for a possible future case. You watch how they suddenly change their attitude. When I arrived in A&E, they suspected my stomach because my ECG was normal, and I only had severe chest pains after eating. GTN didn't help either but luckily a cardiologist was on duty and looked me over. She knew eating could bring on heart problems when ischemia exists and luckily she saved my life because during an angiogram 2 hours later, it was discovered my arteries were a mess. Don't forget to mention your family history to them either, it's important.